An opportunity to become more authentic followers of Don Bosco

By Br. Hilario Seo, SDB

Seoul, Korea, May 23 - Korean Salesian Family held a Grand Feast for the Bicentenary of the Birth of Don Bosco. On the 23rd of May, the vigil of Pentecost and of the Solemn of Mary Help of Christians; about 800 salesian family members (SDB, FMA, SCG, Cooperators, SYM and Benefactors) gathered together to celebrate the grand feast at the Provincial House in Seoul.

At 2pm, the feast that began with the video message from Major Rector, Fr. Fernández Artime Ánghel, drew a curtain to the group band’s performance and song which heightened the pleasant mood; a typical characteristic of Salesian family. The band consisted of the Salesian priests, brothers, seminarians and Salesian Sisters. It was followed by the 'Line dance' from the Cooperators. Even with the repetitive action of the simple dance, it created a queer charm from all the participants particularly, the part where the participants learned action and rhythm according to the guidance of the host while all the others were dancing. The time spent let the genuine joy of the feast naturally bloom from the simplicity and naivety of the Salesian family.

In here the Don Bosco Scholarship Fund which has taken 3 years of preparation was also launched. The preparation of the scholarship fund started with the manuscript writing fee of the past Father J. Trisolini in 2010 and the support from many benefactors. At the launching of the scholarship fund in the 200th anniversary of Saint John Bosco, 10 poor youngs were given 500 thousand Won (500USD) scholarship support each in the areas of Seoul. The same was planned to be done in Kwangju.

As it is unimaginable to think of Saint John Bosco’s feast without the leading participation of the young, the teens of Nanum House, a kind of the group home, performed an exciting dance, capturing the ambience of the festival. The actual look of the children who grew upright while coping with the hard circumstances given to them always strengthens and gives hope to the followers of Don Bosco. They were thankful to the performances of the young making them realized the words of the Rector Major that says, “It is the young people, especially the poorest of them, who will save us.” The musical from the seminarians who are living Kwangju that followed was a play re-enacting the real life of the 200th year of Saint John Bosco which wholeheartedly drew the attention of the audience. A short performance though, the Don Bosco's message, living joyfully and faithfully in our daily life was strongly reminded.

The climax came with the ‘Golden Bell’ program. The games presented were the ‘O or X Life of Don Bosco game, crossword game, speed game, fill-in-the-space game and many more. In the Golden Bell the participants were divided into small groups and questions were answered by writing on a white board. Lots of prizes were given during the game, creating an enthusiastic response from the participants. The program ended with the message from the master of ceremony, Fr. Peter Kim Sangyoun, saying, “We have devoted much effort to the celebration of the Bicentenary of the Birth of Don Bosco for 5 years. Now we are celebrating the crucial moment. Let us give thanks to the love and teaching we have learned from him. In this joyful hour, being more like him, let us be determined to make the poorest young people rise up.”

The Grand Feast ended with a Vigil Mass of Pentecost celebrated by the provincial, Fr. Stefano Yang. He expressed his gratitude to the presence of many people in his homily and as our province reminisce the big effort done in the preparation of Bicentenary of the Birth of Don Bosco, he said, “Our feast must be one that shares life and love to the young, happening in our daily life.” He advised, “Let us make a resolution to get closer to the young and accompany them with the heart and mind of Don Bosco.

Along with the bicentennial celebration, it is believed that the life of Don Bosco has spent enough time to mature as it reached its 60th year in Korea. The Korean family of Don Bosco actually developed the ample lead in the love for the life of the young which could be seen in various forms and activities. The gathered Salesian family realized deeply that the Bicentenary of the Birth of Don Bosco is the real feast as they remember the requests of Pope Francis and the Major Rector, “Stay with the young people on the margins, with those who are excluded and far away from everything, almost without opportunity.”